Thursday, May 10, 2012

Its been awhile since my last postin so theres alot to catch up on. I've really let the clay evolve in the past year. So much so that I completely transitioned from potter to sculptor. I guess the easy way to put it is I'm not makin anything functional for awhile. I really cant tell you how I got to this point but I do know that it's been brewing in my gut and heart for awhile. The exciting part of this process is that I could never had made this jump without the many years of striving and workin as a functional to semi functional potter. I've finally allowed myself to look at clay as a material rather than a product for someone to use. Now that I've tasted the honey of being fearless with my work I dont think nor do I have any desire to go back. I've had a busy start to the year with this new direction. We've traveled to florida and finally have had sucess down there to giving workshops at the Bascom and soon to be a weeklong workshop at Arrowmont. I've had a couple sell out shows which I never ever had and the problem, being a good problem to have is that I have aton of work to make to meet all the stuff I have going on. Its been very validating to have a great response to the new work. I just got back from giving my " Fearless Sculpture" workshop at the Bascom center for visual arts and it was an awsome experience. Frank Vickery, the director for the Bascom invited me up and I'm so grateful for the opportunity. A very beutiful art center in Highlands NC. Frank is an awsome dude. If you have never been to the Bascom you really need to make it a destination. I've finally hired an assitant to my mix. His name is Adam Kirby. He was one of my students when I was teachin at UTC. He's a great young man with alot of potential. I never thought I would get to the point of needin someone to help me but buildin some of these pieces takes two dudes. We are going to transition into an internship for him. He's really excited and a sponge when it comes to clay. I wish I had somenoe like me to work with when I was his age. I am thankful for my early apprenticships and i could've never approached clay the way that I do without them. I will be giving more workshops this year. I will be at TN Tech/appalachian center for craft in june and The potters village in August. This Oct I will be giving a weelong workshop at Arrowmont so you need to sign up! I'm really excited and thankful for the many blessins and opportunities that have come my way. I live under the belief that I'm not an island and that any sucess I have is because of the outreach of love and frienship that I'm given. Thank you to everyone for keepin me focused and on the right track. I wont let you down. I head to Artisphere this weekend. It's a juried art show that is held in downtown Greenville SC. I want to emphasize that stayin busy and keepin up with the new success has been wearing on my body. I know this sounds like I'm whining and I should just suck it up and be grateful...and I am. I really do feel like I lift weights everyday. The new direction is makin me stretch and work smarter. I think I'm embarkin on some of the best work of my career and to continue with it I need to keep my body limber and healthy. Not to say that I wont continue to have a little whisky durin work hours. My family is healthy and happy. Ana is almost done with her MBA in buisness administration. She has a great job that she enjoys and loves her family to no end. Rocket is our life. He has moved me in so many ways and shows me how to make work with passion and emotion. Just lookin at him and how he reacts to his surroundins humbles me. I've said this many time so it my be redundant but I believe that if you can find a way to integrate your every experience in life into your work methods and art you will make fresh, mind blowin work. So much so that it'll seem like its too good to be tru. Just live without fear when it comes to your art and challenge yourself to take risks and step out on that ledge. You might surprise yourself.